Female Infertility

“What is the essence of a woman?” This is one of the questions the judges asked during the 1994 Miss Universe competition. One contestant, Sushmita Sen, gave such a wonderful answer that she won the Miss Universe title that year. According to her, the essence of a woman is being a mother to a child and teaching him (or her) about sharing, caring and loving. Indeed, one of the main and most important roles of any woman is being a good mother to her children. However, not every woman is blessed with the ability to bear a child.

Pregnancy is one stage in life that almost every woman will undergo. Women, with their unique anatomy and physiology, are naturally built to be capable of producing life. For some reason, however, some women are not able to do this. This situation leads to various negative effects on a woman's relationship with her partner and her self-concept. In response to this concern, different treatments or medications are already available for women to consider. However, some, if not all, of those treatments have certain disadvantages or side effects.

Based on a discussion about infertility posted at About.com, infertility can be caused by three main reasons. Those involving a woman's anatomy are classified under structural issues, which can be problems occurring in the fallopian tube, uterus or cervix caused by blockage, fibroid or insufficient opening. Another possible cause concerns the physiology of pregnancy --- a bio-mechanical issue. Scar tissues that can cause blockage within the uterus and fallopian tube can hinder a woman from getting pregnant. Finally, infertility can originate from a primary problem with ovulation and is thus called an ovulatory issue. Hormonal abnormalities, the effect of some medications and other health problems can harm the functioning of the ovary and cause ovarian failure.

A woman's inability to get pregnant can be very stressful not only to herself but also to her partner. Because it is expected of her to bear children, not being able to do so is considered a failure on her part. The pressure imposed on her by her partner and other people may add up to her stress and anxiety. She may start blaming herself for this situation and develop a concept of herself as someone who is “damaged.” Her partner, on the other hand, may feel both disappointed and helpless faced with this problem. The stressfulness of their problem can cause negative changes in their mood and attitude. If the stress and anxiety of having this problem will not be dealt with properly, it can lead to frequent fighting between couples and possibly cause them to separate or divorce.

Despite the initial feeling of helplessness, couples may still find encouragement in seeking possible solutions to a woman's infertility. Nowadays, medications like clomiphene citrate, follicle- stimulating hormone, and human menopausal gonadotropins are available in the market to stimulate ovulation in a woman. These treatments, however, have potential side effects which include multiple birth incidence, headaches or blurred vision, depression and mood swings, pelvic discomforts and ovarian cysts. Solution for structural and mechanical issues that cause infertility can be resolved mostly through surgery.

Another approach based on oriental medicine is also currently recognized as an effective treatment for female infertility. Methods included under this approach include acupuncture and herbal medicine. The goal of acupuncture is to open the blocked energy that prevents fertilization. This is also believed to help restore the balance among organs especially in the endocrine system. On the other hand some herbal plants when ingested can increase the chances of pregnancy. These forms of treatment, however, can take a long time covering a period of approximately three to twelve months before it can be effective.

With all available options as treatment for infertility nowadays, women may still fulfill their yearning for motherhood. Despite the disadvantages or side effects of some medications, it is through careful consideration that women or couples should decide what to undergo. If, despite all alternatives, pregnancy is still not possible for some women, this does not necessarily mean losing their essence. After all, motherhood is not just attained biologically.

Fidelity Plays A Part In Preventing Infertility

One of the contributing factors which leads to infertility is our aggressiveness or promiscuity in the past. pregnancy is the most exciting part the couple's marriage. Parenthood is something to look forward too but when it didn't happened, it could prove to be a an empty space in their relationship.

Fulfillment in marriage is achieved the day when you become a complete family. When two committed individuals produce a child together as a testament to their undying love and devotion, they usually take pride in finally having their own identity as a family.

However, not all couples experience the bliss of having their own child. Currently, about 20% of couples in the United States are struggling with infertility. Infertility is the failure of a couple to conceive a pregnancy after trying for at least a year or so. Another well-known fact is that fertility in women decreases with age. If a woman keeps having a miscarriage, that too can be considered a negative effect of infertility.

Diagnosis for a man comes from undergoing a sperm test while the woman needs to have her ovaries checked by an obstetrician especially if she is already in her 30s. Another factor for the cause of infertility is having multiple sexual partners. Research shows that early sexual activity in women predispose them to various sexual health problems. Sexually Transmitted Disease or STD also cause or exacerbate cases of infertility, as shown in the case of women with pelvic inflammatory disease.

Shown below are some of the common causes of infertility:

l ovulation problems
l tubal problems
l endomtriosis
l low sperm count


To address the problem of infertility, some reproductive techniques were developed to help couples improve their chances of conception. These techniques include in vitro fertilization, zygote intrafallopian tube transfer, and gamete infrafallopian transfer. In vitro fertilization involves the use of a drug to induce the simultaneous release of many eggs from the female's ovaries. In the meantime, several semen samples are obtained from the male partner, and a sperm concentrate is prepared for implantation. The ova and sperm are then combined in the laboratory. The female may be given drugs to ensure that her uterus is ready to receive an embryo. There would be three or four of the embryos are transferred to the female's uterus. Gamete intrafallopian transfer involves retrieval of both multiple ova and semen. It uses a mechanical placement that is used to tranfer the fertilized egg into the fallopian tubes. While zygote intrafallopian tube transfer involves the same retrieval of ova and semen and growth, fertilization are done in the laboratory at to which point the zygotes are placed in the fallopian tubes. In general, it is believed that all couples should undergo a complete evaluation of infertility then followed by a treatment. Watch out for other symptoms within the six months your having irregular periods and investigate further by knowing if you're partner have any known fertility problems. Or any if your family has any history experiencing difficulties on becoming pregnant or gone through early menopause.

Coping with infertility is not easy. You have no control and you can't predict how long it will last. But it is also an opportunity that you support one another in what ever emotional turmoil you are undergo. Practice relaxation, Stay in touch with your loved ones. Being a parent might take long or a bit delayed but never lose hope.